Rock Of Cashel and Hore Abbey Walk
This walk visits two wonderful historical sites in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary.
Perched atop a striking limestone ridge in the Golden Vale, the Rock of Cashel is renowned for its historical importance and houses Ireland's most remarkable collection of medieval structures.
The site includes a variety of monuments such as a round tower, a high cross, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, the Hall of the Vicars Choral, and a Tower House dating back to the fifteenth century. From the elevated position there are wonderful views over the surrounding hills and countryside.
The walk also visits the nearby Hore Abbey which lies just to the west of the Rock. The abbey is a spectacular ruin to visit, and is visible from the Rock of Cashel. It is a National Monument of Ireland, largely owing to its location near the famous rock, and its immense beauty.
To continue your walking around Cashel head to visit another local historical highlight at Cahir Castle. Here you will find a 12th century fortress wonderfully positioned on an island in the river Suir. The castle grounds and the town are a lovely place for a stroll in the area. The town and the castle can be reached from Cashel by picking up the Tipperary Heritage Way, a waymarked long distance walk following the course of the River Suir through the county.
Rock Of Cashel Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Rock Of Cashel Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
Historical Information:Originally serving as the stronghold of the Munster kings, legend has it that St. Patrick visited this site to convert King Aenghus to Christianity. Brian Boru was crowned High King at Cashel in 978 and established it as his capital.
In 1101, the site was ceded to the church, leading to Cashel's rapid ascension as a pivotal centre of religious power in Ireland.
The extant structures are extraordinary. For instance, Cormac’s Chapel houses the only Romanesque frescoes still in existence in Ireland.
The Rock of Cashel stands as one of Ireland’s most stunning and rightfully popular tourist destinations.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Cashel
Rock of Cashel
Rock of Cashel view to Hore Abbey.
Graveyard, Hore Abbey, Caiseal, Éire. These are the ruins of Mainistir Iubhair, or Hore Abbey, located in the midst of a large expanse of grassy fields within sight distance of the Rock of Cashel, near the town of Cashel in County Tipperary, Éire. Founded in 1270AD, the Cistercian Monastery was originally a Benedictine abbey, founded in 1266, with the Benedictines being allegedly forced out by the Archbishop at the time, who dreamt that they plotted to murder him.
Most of the abbey dates to the 13th Century, with some alterations occurring in the 15th Century, most notably the addition of the tower that sits in the middle of the transept of the old chapel. The last Cistercian abbey to be founded in Ireland, the abbey is also unique in that it has a north-facing cloister, which looks towards the Rock of Cashel nearby, which may be the reason for its placement on this side.
Following the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540 by order of King Henry VIII of England, the monastery’s assets were seized by the British Crown, and the Monastery was abandoned, with the building being scavenged for building materials by residents of the nearby town and farmsteads. Today, the abbey sits in a state of ruin, surrounded by a field inhabited by cows, and with an 18th and 19th Century cemetery within it.
Panorama of the town from the Rock of Cashel
